Airport lounges can serve as oases from a busy, crowded or outdated terminal. Some lounges, like Priority Pass, belong to a membership network; others are airline-specific, like the United Club lounge.
If you’re a loyal United flyer or frequent one of the carrier’s largest hubs, visiting a United Club lounge is probably already on your radar. However, the airline recently made some major access changes, affecting most flyers.
So, keep reading to find out more about getting into United lounges.
How to access United Club and Polaris lounges
The Chicago-based airline offers a network of standard lounges, dubbed United Club, and exclusive ultra-premium lounges for international long-haul business travelers and Star Alliance premium cabin, known as Polaris Lounge. Lounge access provides travelers with complimentary drinks, snacks, and high-speed internet, and select lounges offer amenities such as private relaxation areas, showers and more.
So, how does one gain access to United’s network of lounges?
Same-day boarding pass requirement
Though United announced several changes when it comes to accessing its lounge network, one requirement that isn’t changing is that you’ll still need a same-day boarding pass. This can also be a same-day boarding pass for a Star Alliance partner airline, like Lufthansa or Swiss.
Related: The best credit cards for flying United
Paid United Club membership
United now has two tiers of paid membership for entry to the Club.
United Club individual membership:
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Price: $750 or 94,000 miles
This membership offers unlimited access to all 45-plus United Club locations for the primary member only. There are no discounts available for United Premier members. Individual members can pay to bring guests into the lounge on a one-off basis; you’ll need to pay $59 for a one-time pass per guest.
Individual members do not have access to Star Alliance partner lounges.
United Club All Access membership:
Price: Varies depending on Premier status
| MileagePlus Premier status | All Access annual membership cost |
|---|---|
| General member | $1,400 or 175,000 miles |
| Premier Silver | $1,400 or 175,000 miles |
| Premier Gold | $1,400 or 175,000 miles |
| Premier Platinum | $1,300 or 163,000 miles |
| Premier 1K | $1,200 or 150,000 miles |
| Global Services | $1,000 or 125,000 miles |
All Access members can enjoy unlimited United Club access for the primary member and up to two guests, or one adult and two dependents under 18 years old.
This membership also includes access to all Star Alliance member lounges, as well as other select partner locations. All Access members can use any Star Alliance member carrier-owned or Star Alliance-branded lounge.
While these new membership plans are already effective for new sign-ups, existing members who signed up before March 24 won’t see any changes until their membership year expires. Upon renewal, members must choose between an individual or All Access plan (and pay the associated higher fees).
Note that lifetime United Club members have been converted to All Access plans.
TPG values United MileagePlus miles at 1.35 cents each, per our March 2025 valuations, so your best bet is to pay the annual membership fee with cash instead of miles.
Access United Club lounges with a Credit card
Having an eligible cobranded United credit card can be the most cost-effective way to consistently enter the United Club.
You can get lounge access with the following cards (note that some cards only offer one-time passes):
* Starting May 1, one-time passes can only be used by the primary cardholder, an authorized user or a guest traveling with either cardmember; additionally, passholders can only use the pass within three hours of their scheduled flight departure.
** The information for the United Club Business Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Note that lounge membership earned via a cobranded credit card offers a unique access policy that includes entry for primary cardmembers, one guest and any dependents under 18 years old.
Cardmembers can unlock an All Access club membership (bumping up the guest allowance to two people and unlocking access to partner lounges) in one of two ways. The first is to earn Premier Gold status or higher in a given year, and the second is to spend at least $50,000 in eligible purchases on their cobranded card in a calendar year.
Since the annual fee on both the United Club Card and the United Club Business Card is $695, having a credit card to enter the lounge remains a more attractive option than outright buying a membership.
Additionally, the United Club Card and the United Club Business Card offer four one-time passes annually when cardmembers have an authorized user on their account and have unlocked an All Access Membership.
If you’d prefer to avoid the hefty annual fee, you can opt for the entry-level United Explorer Card or the United Business Card, both of which include two single-use United Club passes each year. Note that these day passes don’t include guest access, nor can they be transferred to friends or family who aren’t authorized users or accompanying a cardmember into the lounge.
Access United Club lounges with Elite status
Select Premier members can use United Clubs at any time during their travel journey.
United Premier Gold (and higher) members have access to United Clubs when traveling internationally on any Star Alliance carrier, regardless of their class of service. They can also bring along one guest departing on a Star Alliance carrier from the same airport (note that the guest must be traveling on the same flight).
Star Alliance Gold members who hold status with another partner airline can use the United Club with any same-day Star Alliance boarding pass, including during domestic United travel (again, guests must be traveling on the same flight as the elite member).
Since Jan. 1, 2021, United’s invite-only Global Services members can enjoy lounge access on all United-operated flights, including those operating exclusively within the United States. Note that this new perk only covers the Global Services member — you’ll only be able to bring a guest into the lounge with an All Access membership, eligible cobranded credit card or when flying internationally.
Access United lounges with Ticket type
Premium-cabin Star Alliance travelers can also use United Clubs, though the exact terms and guest privileges vary by ticket type, as seen below.
United Club One-time pass
If you don’t travel enough to commit to an annual membership, you can also purchase day passes for $59 at United Club locations or through the United mobile app. Just note that day passes don’t guarantee entry during peak crowding periods.
Starting May 1, travelers using a one-time pass can only enter a United Club up to three hours before their scheduled departure time. This exclusively applies to departure flights, and there is no time limit for entry on connecting flights.
Note that grab-and-go Club Fly locations no longer accept one-time passes.
You can also earn one-time passes for free with select cobranded credit cards, including:
- United Explorer Card: Two single-use United Club passes each year
- United Business Card: Two single-use United Club passes each year
- United Club Card: Four one-time passes annually when cardmembers have an authorized user on their account and have unlocked Club All Access Membership.
- United Club Business Card: Four one-time passes annually when cardmembers have an authorized user on their account and have unlocked Club All Access Membership
Other United Club access
United’s lounges are open to a few other travelers, including:
- Active U.S. military personnel: You’ll need to travel with a valid military I.D., a same-day United boarding pass and be dressed in uniform, or bring your leave orders or rest and recuperation papers.
- Air Canada Maple Leaf Club members: Maple Leaf Club North America members can use any domestic United Club location, while Maple Leaf Club Worldwide members can use all locations worldwide and bring a guest for each visit.
- Virgin Australia Velocity Gold, Platinum and VIP elite members: Members may visit United Clubs by presenting a same-day boarding pass for an international United or Virgin Australia flight departing from the same airport. You can bring one guest if you’re traveling with United.
United Polaris Lounge access
Of course, Star Alliance premium-cabin passengers also have access to United’s Polaris lounges, which offer modern furnishings, private spa-like shower suites and elevated culinary experiences.
Three types of passengers are eligible for Polaris lounge access:
- Travelers in United Polaris business class: Available at departure, connecting and/or arrival airports (no guests).
- Travelers in Star Alliance first class: Only available at the departure airport for a long-haul first-class flight (one guest).
- Travelers in Star Alliance business class: Only available at the departure airport for a long-haul business-class flight (no guests).
United Club Fly Access
In addition to United Clubs and Polaris Lounges, the carrier operates a grab-and-go lounge concept called “Club Fly.”
The first such space opened in Denver in November 2022, and a second one opened in Houston in early 2025. Eligible travelers can enter Club Fly by scanning their boarding pass at the self-serve entry gate.
Once you get inside, you can raid the snack bar that’s stocked with packaged and prepared foods, and you can also order a coffee from the barista.
Given Club Fly’s focus on efficiency, the access policies are a bit different. All travelers eligible to enter a United Club or Polaris Lounge can visit Club Fly, but they cannot bring any guests. (This excludes active U.S. military personnel, one-time pass holders and Air Canada Maple Leaf Club members.)
United Club lounge Locations
You’ll find a plethora of United Clubs in the carrier’s main hubs, including:
- Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) — Five locations: three in Terminal 1 (near gates B6, B18 and C10), plus two in Terminal 2 across from Gates E7 and F9.
- Denver International Airport (DEN) — Three locations: one near Gate B32, another near Gate B44 and a third near Gate A25. United Club Fly can be found near Gate B60.
- Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) — Five locations: one in Terminal A (across from Gate A9), one in Terminal B (south mezzanine), two in Terminal C (near Gate C1 and toward Gate C33) and one in Terminal E (between gates E11 and E12). United Club Fly can be found near Gates B12-20.
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) — One location adjacent to Gate 71A.
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) — Three locations: one in Terminal A near Gate A27, and two in Terminal C near Gates C74 and C123
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO) — Three locations: two in Terminal 3 (near Gate E4 and Gate F11) and one in the international terminal (between gates G6 and G9).
- Washington, D.C.’s Dulles International Airport (IAD) — Three locations in the Midfield Terminal (near gates C7, C17 and D8).
Except for Denver, all of the mentioned airports have Polaris lounges.
Most of the other clubs are scattered across the U.S., including in airports such as Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), among others.
Check out United’s website for a complete list of the airline’s Club and Polaris lounge locations.
Bottom line
United offers a variety of ways to access its United Clubs, both for premium-cabin frequent flyers and for those with a membership.
If you frequently travel with United, it’s worth analyzing which options offer the best bang for your buck to unlock a relaxing lounge experience.
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